The crowd and community thing continues to really resonate with me. I can’t help but wonder if this is part of our struggle as Church – that we have this tendency to confuse the crowd as being a community. In our present culture, we have lost this sense. Consider how many of us have never really experienced true ‘community’. If we are to truly minister to those with disabilities, or better still – minister with those with disabilities, we must re-construct the life of community. I don’t mean sell everything and head up North (though those from the North would say “why not?”) and start a commune. But we do need to break with the rampant individualism that so defines our society – even inside the Church – especially in the Church – where all too often we experience the phenomena of being alone in the crowd. This can be, and to often is the experience of those who we are called to support. I’m not referring to a church, but to The Church. Jean Vanier in his book “Tear’s of Silence” (1975) writes this poem: An encounter is a strange and wonderful thing
presence
one person to another
present
one to another
life flowing
one to another
but we can be together
and not meet
we can live in the same house
dayafter day
sit at the same table
kneel at the same pew
read the same books
but never meet
we can kiss
gestures of love
apparent tenderness
but never meet
a meeting is a strange andwonderful thing
presence
one person to another
presence
one person to another
present
one to another
one to another
life flowing
one to another.
I’m wondering today – how we as Christian Horizons can be more ‘community’ and less ‘crowd’. Can we become more like the five men of Mark 2 (the four who carried and the one being carried) who came to ‘give to’ Jesus, and less like the crowd who were there to ‘get' from Him?
Anyway, I was just thinking… Neil
one to another.
I’m wondering today – how we as Christian Horizons can be more ‘community’ and less ‘crowd’. Can we become more like the five men of Mark 2 (the four who carried and the one being carried) who came to ‘give to’ Jesus, and less like the crowd who were there to ‘get' from Him?
Anyway, I was just thinking… Neil
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The 'Fantastic Four' of Community
As I read the Blog I started asking myself, “What does ‘being in community’ really mean?” So I looked into the text to see if it would provide me an answer.
Interestingly enough both Matthew and Luke found this Mark 2:1-12 passage significant enough to include in their own account of Jesus. Also of interest is that all three Gospel writers include this episode of the paralytic as one in a series of episodes that record Jesus’ undermining the policies and procedures of the social and religious orders of the day. In addition to forgiving sins, Jesus is found in this series of episodes healing leapers, calling tax collectors, and even eating with sinners. The common theme in the series may be ‘inclusion’.
In all three Gospel accounts the players include Jesus, the paralytic, the four men, the crowd, and the religious leaders. As mentioned in the Blog the crowd was in the way, perhaps ignorant of the need of the paralytic, or were perhaps aware and just refused to lose their place in line. The Pharisees however presented the greatest opposition.
Following the paralytic’s healing and forgiveness in Mark 2, the Pharisees pose questions such as: “Who can forgive sins except God?” (2:7), “Why is he eating with tax collectors and sinners?” (2:16), “Why do your disciples not fast?” (2:18), “Why are they doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” (2:24).
In all these questions about what others are and are not doing the religious leaders show no compassion towards those who Jesus is attending. It seems they are more concerned for the rules than they are for the people. But Jesus answers them with “It is not those who are healthy that need a physician but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (2:17).
In contrast to these religious leaders, these unnamed four men go to great lengths to see that their fifth is provided an opportunity to see Jesus. What else but outrageous compassion could drive someone to do what these four men did? Who climbs to a roof, breaks in, and lowers down a paralyzed man? What would others say? Much like a father would for his child, it seems these four men are willing to do whatever it takes to make sure their fifth is helped.
Perhaps it is outlandish compassion for one another that provides community. Much like that love that binds the unique unit of the family together, so to a community is most communal as its members respond to one another compassionately and lovingly. In contrast to the divisive attitude of the Pharisees, these four unnamed heroes became community for their fifth.
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